Qualitative Report on the Puerto Rico Police
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Case 3:12-cv-02039-GAG Document 774-1 Filed 03/09/18 Page 1 of 305 1 Qualitative Reportt on the Puerto Rico’s Police Depaartment Sustainable Reformm: The Feedback of Nine (9) Commmunity Focus Groups in Puerto Rico (2017) 1 Case 3:12-cv-02039-GAG Document 774-1 Filed 03/09/18 Page 2 of 305 2 Office of the Technical Compliance Advisor of the Puerto Rico’s Police Department Reform Hato Rey, Puerto Rico Richard Blanco-Peck, PhD. Independent Consultant and Director of the Study T.C.A.P.R., Corporation September,2017. 2 Case 3:12-cv-02039-GAG Document 774-1 Filed 03/09/18 Page 3 of 305 3 Table of Content Page Preface…………………………………………………………………………………5 First Part: Introduction……………………………………………………………………….…7 Methodology…………………………………………………………………………9 Demographic Graphic’s ………………………………………………………. 13 Second Part: Individual Focus Group Summary Reports ……………………………………25 1. Luis Llorens Torres Public Housing…………………………………………25 2. Loíza’s Community………………………………………………….…………33 3. Women Victims of Crime……………………………….……….…………. 39 4. Homeless in Rehabilitation………………………………………….….……46 5. UPR Mayagüez students………………………………………………………54 6. LGBTT Community of Puerto Rico………………………………….………69 7. Homeless /Addicts …………………………………………………….…… 87 8. Professional Black Ethnic Group.…………………………………….…. 98 9. Dominican Community of Puerto Rico…………………….…………….120 3 Case 3:12-cv-02039-GAG Document 774-1 Filed 03/09/18 Page 4 of 305 4 Third Part: General Conclusions of the Nine (9) Focus Groups.…………………….… 130 Recommendations…………………………………………………………….…133 References………………………………………………………………………. 135 Spanish Appendixes……………………………………………………………137-305 4 Case 3:12-cv-02039-GAG Document 774-1 Filed 03/09/18 Page 5 of 305 5 Preface The purpose of this qualitative study was to collect and analyze information from nine (9) homogeneous focus groups. These groups were from residents of communities with a sensitive relationship with the Puerto Rico’s Police Department. In this way, we could know their impression after three (3) years of the Sustainable Reform of the Department and comply with paragraph 241 of the agreement established by the Federal District Court of Puerto Rico. This exhaustive study was established by means of a contract with the TCA, PR Corporation from the Office of the Technical Compliance Advisor of the Puerto Rico’s Police Department Reform, in Hato Rey, Puerto Rico, committed to the Department of Justice of the United States of America. The groups were chosen through several meetings with the "CORE TEAM" of the TCA and community leaders, employing specific information of the public hearings held by the Federal District Court of Puerto Rico in several municipalities of Puerto Rico. Participants in these groups were hired according to the profile of each community by our coordinators, with the valuable support of community leaders and community support centers. These focus groups were: 1. LGBTT community group, from different municipalities, gathered in a San Juan community center 2. group of Homeless /Addicts assembled on the outskirts of the Manuel A. Pérez López Public Housing Building, San Juan; 3. group of Homeless in Rehabilitation grouped in center at Georgetti Street in Río Piedras; 4. group of Dominican residents constituted in the 5 Case 3:12-cv-02039-GAG Document 774-1 Filed 03/09/18 Page 6 of 305 6 lounge of the Rio Piedras market, San Juan; 5. group of residents of the Luis Lloren’s Torres Public Housing Building of San Juan gather together at building’s communal center; 6. group of University of Puerto Rico’s Mayagüez campus students meeting at the School of Civil Engineering; 7. Professional Black Ethnic Group met at “Hill Brother’s” community center, Carolina; 8. group of 3. Women Victims of Crime gathered at Puerta de Tierra’s center, San Juan; 9. group of Loíza’s Community residents grouped at community center. This exhaustive study contains nine (9) reports of each target group by seven (7) members of our team. In this way, it complies with paragraph 241 of the agreement between the United States Department of Justice, the Puerto Rico’s Police Department, and the Government of Puerto Rico. In addition, important qualitative data was attained to improve reform and enforce compliance with the agreement. The information collected and analyzed provides data necessary for the PRPD management and their Reform Office. Therefore, first-hand decisions can be performed with the knowledge gathered. The transcripts (appendixes) of the study will not be translated since most of the testimonies are already included in the nine independent narratives within the general report. Thanks to everyone who contributed to this great effort. Richard Blanco-Peck, Ph.D. Principal investigator 6 Case 3:12-cv-02039-GAG Document 774-1 Filed 03/09/18 Page 7 of 305 7 Introduction On July 17, 2013, the United States of America District Court of Puerto Rico reached an Agreement to establish a Sustainable Reform for the Police Department of Puerto Rico. Senior officials of the Government of Puerto Rico and the Department of Justice of the United States of America signed this agreement. The Parties jointly enter into this Agreement to ensure that the Puerto Rico Police Department (“PRPD”) delivers policing services in a manner that upholds civil rights guaranteed by the Constitution and laws of the United States and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. The Agreement is also intended to promote public safety by providing PRPD officers with the tools, guidance, and resources that they need to fight crime effectively. The Parties recognized that public safety, constitutional policing, and the community’s trust in its police force are interdependent. The full and sustained implementation of this Agreement will protect public safety, guarantee individual civil rights, and increase public confidence in the police. On June 6, 2014, Mr. Arnaldo Claudio was appointed as Technical Compliance Advisor to "assess and report whether the provisions of this Agreement have been implemented and whether this accomplishment is resulting in constitutional and effective police practices, professional treatment of individuals and increase the confidence of the Community toward the P.R.P.D." (Paragraph 225 of the Agreement). On November 2016, the Office of the Technical Compliance Adviser of Puerto Rico requested us for an independent professional consulting service through a contract for the development of an exhaustive focus group study of several (9) sensitive Puerto Rican communities., based on 7 Case 3:12-cv-02039-GAG Document 774-1 Filed 03/09/18 Page 8 of 305 8 a consistent methodology and for the development of a Final Report. Therefore, complying with Paragraph 241 of the Agreement. This Office is entitled to carry out regular studies based on the collection of qualitative and quantitative data through research from Puerto Rico’s communities. The purpose is to study the resident’s perceptions of the sustainable reform of the Puerto Rico’s Police Department that started about 2 1/2 years ago. Therefore, this report presents the qualitative data of nine (9) focus groups. During the qualitative investigation, this researcher included a focus group at the eight referred to at the beginning. The ninth group included was that of homeless people "in transition" that are already leaving the street, sleeping in foster homes and that report to a rehabilitation center for addicts. Participants in these nine groups were recruited according to the profile of each community by our coordinators with the help of community leaders. These homogeneous focus groups were: 1 - LGBTT group of the different municipalities of Puerto Rico gathered in a San Juan; 2 - group of homeless/addict people on the outskirts of the Manuel A. Pérez Public Housing in the vicinity of Lopez Sicardo street corner Sicilia street, in Hato Rey; 3 -group homeless people in "transition" in rehabilitation center at Georgetti Street in Río Piedras; 4- group of Dominican residents interviewed at the lounge of the Rio Piedras food market in San Juan; 5- group of Luis Llorens Torres Public Housing residents at their community center in San Juan; 6- group of University of Puerto Rico’s Mayagüez campus students at a the School of Civil Engineering classroom; 7- group of Afro-Caribbean (black ethnic group) professional 8 Case 3:12-cv-02039-GAG Document 774-1 Filed 03/09/18 Page 9 of 305 9 residents at the community center of "Hill's Brother" in Carolina; 8- group of Women Victims of Crime at the Puerta de Tierra, San Juan center.; 9 - and a group of Loiza´s residents at their municipal community center. This researcher is a retired university professor that has performed extensive survey research and focus groups studies of the Puerto Rican population on public policy issues, political inquiries, and evaluations of public agencies through the measurement of citizen perception of government performance. This scholar, enjoys the professional resources to develop such research designs and has the faculty to incorporate and train graduate students and/or professionals as interviewers. A selected professional work group was developed for this research project, one committed to the search of the truth and based on ethics. Methodology To comply with the Sustainable Reform Agreement of the Puerto Rico’s Police Department (PRPD) established on July 17, 2013, our staff conducted a qualitative research design which gathered the views and attitudes of nine focus groups. The focus groups selection process included between 7 and 9 subjects and a moderator/researcher responsible for carrying out enquiries (see annexes #2 and 3) and lead the discussion. We used the simple group research design, and selected several categories of simple and homogenous groups from communities with a sensitive relationship with the police (Krueger, Richard and Casey, Marie Ann, 2015). The research purpose of this design was to compare and analyze the information disclosed by the groups. This design is excellent for the disclosure of the groups attitudes toward the PRPD reform and, for the creation of a data base to compare information with 9 Case 3:12-cv-02039-GAG Document 774-1 Filed 03/09/18 Page 10 of 305 10 other groups and organizations.